Venice Council approves FAA grant application, accepts $3.85 million offer to rehab Runway 13-31

The Venice City Council voted unanimously to authorize staff to submit an application for federal assistance to the Federal Aviation Administration and to accept a grant offer to design and construct rehabilitation of Runway 13-31 at Venice Municipal Airport in the amount of $3,851,924.50.

City staff told the council the airport’s pavement condition index for Runway 13-31 was recently projected as low as 58 out of 100 after FDOT inspections performed under FAA guidance, prompting the rehabilitation. Council was told the original portion of the runway was built in 1942 and previously rehabilitated in 1982 and 2006; the project would mill and overlay the original 5,000 feet with two inches of asphalt, seal an added 640-foot section constructed in 2017, and install two new wind socks.

Project cost was estimated at $4,279,915. Council was presented a proposed funding split of 90% FAA participation, 5% Florida Department of Transportation participation (if awarded), and 5% from the airport fund. Staff said FDOT performs routine pavement inspections in accordance with FAA advisory circular guidance cited at the meeting. A timeline of about six months for construction and an estimated life expectancy of about 20 years for the rehabilitation were reported.

Council moved and approved the action by electronic vote; the clerk announced the motion carried 7-0.

Council and staff did not raise additional conditions or amendments during the discussion recorded in the meeting.